Track-type vehicles move about on track chains composed of a series of interconnected track links which are press fitted onto track pins. The pins are slightly tapered or chamfered on the ends to facilitate pressing the link onto the pin. The pin and link must be aligned within very close tolerances to effect a press fit. A track assembly machine for assembling the track has a press with a press alignment pin which engages the link and aligns the pin and link. The press pin and track pin are prealigned. The track assembly machine automatically shuts down when the pin and link to be press fitted are not properly aligned. The assembly machine must then be manually started after properly aligning the pin and link.
Alignment of the press pin and link is accomplished by using a fixed, rigid stop member to initially position the link. The stop member stops movement of the link along the assembly machine by contacting a nonmachined edge or surface of the link. Because the edge is not machined, alignment is dependent upon the quality and thickness of the edge.
Since the link is forged, many factors, such as the condition of the forging die, influence the quality and thickness of the edge. For example, a worn die produces a thicker edge than a new die. The link does not move forward enough to properly align with the press pin when the edge is too thick. When this happens, a chamfered or tapered end of the press pin abuts the opening in the link and part of the force used to press the link on the pin is transmitted through the press pin to the link. This results in load forces which urge the link forward toward the fixed, rigid stop. Since the link is too far rearward, the press pin does not properly enter the link and the machine automatically shuts down. The press pin and link must thereafter be manually aligned before the assembly can proceed.
Misalignment is minimized by careful inspection of each link. This procedure, however, is extremely time consuming and results in unacceptable links which must be laboriously machined or discarded. It is desirable to have a positioning apparatus which initially positions the link and which automatically, correctly repositions the link when the link and press pin are not properly aligned.